“Puwede both?” is Judy Ann Santos’s cheerful reaction to Iza Calzado’s lighthearted remark, “Sa kanya ang award, akin ang cash,” in an article about their impending competition in the 2019 edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
Judy Ann gave her reaction to PEP.ph at the launch of her latest endorsement, Coco Mama instant gata, on October 23, which was also the posting date of Iza’s article on this website.
The two actresses are good friends, with Judy Ann serving as a ninang at Iza’s wedding in December 2018.
Judy Ann’s Mindanao and Iza’s Culion are two of the eight entries to the annual film festival that traditionally opens on December 25, Christmas Day, and runs thereafter for two weeks.
The rest of the lineup are 3Pol Trobol: Huli Ka Balbon (starring Coco Martin, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Jennylyn Mercado); Write About Love (Rocco Nacino, Miles Ocampo); Miracle in Cell No. 7 (Aga Muhlach, Bela Padilla); Mission Unstapabol: The Don Identity (Vic Sotto, Maine Mendoza); The Mall The Merrier (Vice Ganda, Anne Curtis); and Sunod (Carmina Villarroel, Mylne Dizon).
“Sana both,” Judy Ann told us, referring to the success of her movie in the box-office and award departments.
“Siyempre everybody happy kung kumita lahat ng pelikula,” she added. “But just the thought of being in the list, it’s more than enough.
“All the entries are good movies. All actors are very good. Just to be able to be with them in this parade and this festival, okay na ’yon.”
Mindanao is Judy Ann’s first movie with director Brillante Mendoza, whose works have competed abroad, including Cannes Film Festival, which awarded him the Best Director for his 2009 entry, Kinatay.
In Mindanao, Judy Ann plays a wife and mother caring for her combat medic-husband (played by Allen Dizon) and their cancer-stricken daughter (Yuna Tangog).
It had its world premiere at the 24th Busan International Film Festival held last October 5 at the port city of Busan in South Korea.
“Nakakatuwa na with my first film with Direk Brillante Mendoza, which has been a part of different film festivals already, and siyempre maganda din na makasama ka sa festival dito sa Pilipinas kasi Pilipino ako, e,” she pointed out.
“Dito siya ginawa, e. So ano naman ang saysay na inilaban mo siya sa ibang bansa pero dito, hindi siya maipalabas.”
At the same time, the 41-year-old actress admitted to feeling anxious as she hasn’t participated in the MMFF since 2012, when she co-starred with Bong Revilla and Vic Sotto in the fantasy flick, Si Agimat, si Enteng at si Ako.
“Nakaka-tense,” Juday said, laughing. “Iniisip ko pa lang kung ano ang mangyayari, pagod na ko. Di ko pa alam kung ano ang proseso ngayon, but I’m excited.
“I’m excited and with all the beautiful films included in the MMFF, parang it’s an honor to be part of this list this year.
“So thank you to the committee for choosing Mindanao. I hope everyone will support it.”
She made it clear, though, that her movie is not the feel-good type.
“Hindi siya ’yong lalabas ka ng sinehan na happy ang puso mo, ha?” she said.
“But it’s something that you know you’ll be aware of how people in Mindanao deal with their problems in war and in illnesses like cancer, na hindi talaga lahat nabibigyan ng maayos na pamamaraan na pagpapagamot ng cancer.
“Hindi lahat ay sinusuwerte sa ganyang aspeto, so it’s an awakening. At some point, it’s sad na may part pa pala na gano’n sa Pilipinas na hindi nabibigyan ng atensyon.”
The Kapamilya star, who headlines the primetime series, Starla, also talked about the challenges she faced in making the movie.
Juday pointed out: “Everything [is challenging], kasi ang bitbit kong bata, 7 years old. Bitbit ko siya lagi. Di siya puwedeng maglakad.
“That and to act as natural as possible. Pinag-i-ingatan mo din ’yong how the Muslims are—how they move, how they talk.
“Kailangan mong ibigay sa kanila ang respetong ’yon sa kanila. They value their relations. This is a movie about Muslims, at kailangan ibigay mo nang tama sa kanila ’yong paniniwala na ’yon.
“Kasi magkakapatid naman talaga tayo, iba-iba lang tayo ng relihiyon. So kung ano ang respeto na binibigay natin sa religion nila, gusto kong maibigay ’yon…
“Mas lalo ko silang nirespeto with how they respect ’yong mga tao nila, how they pray, how they take care of their family, how devoted they are as wives as well.
“It’s not an easy task, but, you know, lahat nagagawa nila.”